Pokemon: The First Novel
by ie1
Summary: It's here! A full length Pokemon novel geared towards ALL audiences! It tells the story of young Paul, who gets sucked into the world of Pokemon and teams up with Ash and pals to save the world from the evil Celebi! Please review...this is goin to the boo
1. The journey begins!

1 POKEMON: THE FIRST NOVEL By Paul "Twoie" G.  
  
Please Review! This is going into bookstores soon!!!  
  
"Click." I shut off my Game Boy Advance and took a deep breath. I had just beaten Lance at the top of Indigo Plateau, and claimed the title of Champion. I just got done watching the end credits roll, with the little Pichus and Sentrets dancing around. Of course, I had done this many times before, but it felt special each time I did it. Pokemon is my favorite video game, and to triumph like this was what I worked for the whole time. My team that I trained was really strong, and they knew excellent moves. I was so proud of them. I had put over 30 hours total into building this team, and it was all worth it. I was especially proud of my Starmie, who knew many different move types, including Ice Beam, Zap Cannon, Psychic, and Surf. My Typhlosion was awesome, too. It knew my favorite Fire move, Flamethrower. Now, I got up and went to go grab something to eat.  
  
Oh, I'm sorry! I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Paul. I live in a small town in New Jersey, I go to a really nice school, I have some cool friends, and I'm all around happy with my life. There are still some things that could use improvement, but everything on the whole was pretty much okay. My family is cool, my friends are cool, I'M cool… things are pretty chill.  
  
But let me let you in on a little secret… ever since I became the owner of the Red Version of Pokemon, I've wanted to live in that world. It would be so cool, battling and catching Pokemon, fighting other Trainers, being a hero, meeting girls like Misty… Of course, that's impossible. We all know that. I don't think it's likely I'll be pulled into a set of zeros and ones on a little electronic chip. Not in this universe, anyway. So the only way I could fantasize was by actually playing the game and watching the corny little sprites on the screen. Lame-o! One day, I'm going to write a story where I live in the world of Pokemon. I'll capture lots of monsters, save the world from evil, yadda yadda yadda. One day……  
  
But enough with the boring explanations. Today was Saturday, and I had the whole day in front of me. I speculated on the many things I could do to pass the time. I could read comic books, I could fiddle with my "Magic" cards, or, of course, play "Pokemon".  
  
Just then, the phone rang. I picked it up. "Hello?"  
  
"Yeah, Paul," said the other end. It was my friend Donald.  
  
"Yo, Don-man, wassup?" Donald was about the only other person in town I could talk about Pokemon with. Everyone else kinda shied away from it, calling it "babyish" and whatnot. They just didn't see the real challenge.  
  
"Oh, not much. My little sister is being a pain in the ass."  
  
"Heh heh. Yep, little sisters tend to do just that." I replied.  
  
As if to attest to his statement, I heard him put his hand over the phone and say, "Shelby leave me the hell alone!" I laughed. I had a BIG sister, but it was the same way.  
  
"So Donald…" I began, "How's that Zelda game comin'?"  
  
"Eh. Still can't find the Golden Leaves."  
  
"Still?"  
  
"Yeah. What a pain they are."  
  
"Even with the gameshark?" I asked.  
  
"Yep. I can walk through walls, I can never die, but I CAN'T FIND THOSE FRICKIN' GOLD LEAVES!"  
  
"Ha ha! You know, it took me a while to find them, too. I almost tore my hair out. Tell you what… how about you come over one day and I'll show you their locations?"  
  
"Speaking of which, Paul, are you able to have anyone come over today?"  
  
"Afraid not, buddy. Folks are out of town."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"But let me ask you something," he said. "Do you know where I can catch a Wobbuffet?"  
  
"Wobbuffet? I think he's in Dark Cave."  
  
"OK, thanks." he said.  
  
"But what do you want a Wobbuffet for anyway?" I asked. "He sucks."  
  
"Wobbuffet kicks ass!" was the immediate reply.  
  
I figured I'd better talk some sense into this kid.  
  
"Dude…first of all, Wobbuffet only learns four moves in his whole life! And he can't even attack! And he learns no TM moves! Believe me, Donny, you can do better."  
  
"You'll appreciate Wobbuffet's power soon enough."  
  
Something about how he said that sent chills through me. "What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Nothing, nothing."  
  
"Oh, by the way, Don… One of these days I'm gonna write a Pokemon story. Can I put you in it?"  
  
"Sure you can. I wouldn't mind. Well, thanks for your help. I'll see ya." And he hung up. Donald was famous for raising every Pokemon he owned, even all of those in his PC boxes, up to level 100. Every single one. So whenever I would battle him I'd have to rent Pokemon off of the game pak. And he always beat me. I just raise my teams up to level 50, register them for the Poke Cup and Gym Leader Castle, and then start a new file. But hey, to each his own.  
  
I decided to go into town to grab some food and buy a couple of "Magic" booster packs. "Magic" was my other passion. It was a role- playing card game featuring fantastic creatures, magic spells, and powerful wizards. I had no desire, however, to live in that world, where if you looked at a goblin the wrong way he tears your spleen out. Not my bag. But the card game kicks ass! Usually when I wasn't playing Pokemon, I was playing Magic.  
  
I put on my coat and Yankees hat (yes that's right! Die hard fan of the Bronx Bombers!) and stepped out into the chilly January afternoon.  
  
Chilly wasn't the word. It was FRIGID! I pulled my gloves out of my pockets and put them on. Was it really worth all this just to buy "Magic" cards? YES! I walked down my driveway onto First Street.  
  
As I walked down the sidewalk, I reflected upon how perfect my town is, as I often do. It was a humble town, only one square mile, but it was just right. It had a movie theater, several general stores, (or snack joints, as I called them), a couple of churches, places to eat, an arcade… I wouldn't live anywhere else. Because the town was so small, everyone knew everyone, and as I continued up Madison Avenue, I saw several people I knew. I tried to avoid them, though. I'm really not much of a "conversationalist."  
  
Soon, the familiar scenery of Uptown Dunellen became the bustling streets and stores of Downtown Dunellen. Route 28 ran right through here, and there were always tons of people and cars here. As I passed each store on the way to the Comic Shop, I looked in each window and the scene within. I stopped for a moment when I came to the apartments above what used to be a bakery. I used to have a friend who lived there, but he moved, and now I can only talk to him VIA email.  
  
I continued walking, and I must have been looking at the ground, because when I looked up I saw my friend John standing there.  
  
"Yo, Paul!"  
  
"'Sup, John? How you chillin? Like Bob Dylan? Or like a villain?"  
  
"Riiiiiight. So how you doin'?"  
  
"Alright I guess. I just got done beating the crap out of Lance."  
  
"What is that, in Pokemon?"  
  
"Of course. What else do I play? C'mon."  
  
"You gotta get a hobby, bro." He said.  
  
"I have one. Pokemon Trainer Extraordinaire!"  
  
"Yeah, OK. Hey, I got a joke for ya!"  
  
"Let me hear it." John and I were always exchanging jokes, and I always told him any new ones I heard.  
  
"OK… There's this guy, right? And he's a little lonely, so he figures he'll go out and get a pet."  
  
"Right…"  
  
"So he goes to the pet store and tells the manager he wants an unusual pet. So after they discuss a bit, he picks out a centipede. It comes with a box for his house and everything."  
  
"OK…"  
  
"So after the guy brings it home, he figures he'll celebrate by going to the bar with it for a drink."  
  
"Um…"  
  
"So the guy says to the centipede, 'Do you want to go to the bar with me for a drink?' But it doesn't answer. So he waits a few minutes and asks again. Still no answer. Finally, he flings off the lid of the box and says very loudly, 'Do you want to go get a drink?' And the centipede says, "I heard you the first time! I'm putting on my freakin' shoes!"  
  
I threw my head back and laughed. That was so clever a joke. Normally, John didn't have very good jokes, but this one was truly a gem.  
  
"That's good, John! Ha ha ha! I love it!"  
  
"Yeah, I got it off that website you sent me."  
  
"I actually don't have any new jokes right now." I said. "That's surprising, isn't it?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess." He said. "Oh, by the way, Paul! Check out this Pokemon Card I got." He held up a holographic Wobbuffet.  
  
"Dude, what is it with everyone and Wobbuffets these days? Geez…"  
  
"Oh, Donald told you he was looking for one, too?"  
  
This completely took me by surprise. How could John have known about our earlier conversation? "H-H-how did you know that?" I asked.  
  
"He told me. He said I should get one, but I only have the Blue Version."  
  
"I could lend you my Gold Version." I said. "This way you would have a taste of the challenges of Johto!"  
  
"No thanks. I'm happy with what I've got." He said.  
  
"But John… Gold, Silver, and Crystal are SO MUCH better! You've got an Experience meter, you can hold items, there's better moves, better move animations…"  
  
"I know, I know," He said. "But I'll stick with Blue."  
  
"But Blue's not even in color!" I cried.  
  
"So?"  
  
"Alright, I tell ya what. REGARDLESS of what anybody says, you play the Blue Version."  
  
"OK, I will." He replied. "So where you off to?"  
  
"Ah, I'm on my way to The Break for a bite, then to Boyhood Dreams. Want to come with me? Play a little Street Fighter 3?"  
  
"I can't. Sorry. My mom thinks I'm at Katrina's Pizza, and I have to be home by 2:00 to go shopping."  
  
"Aw, man…"  
  
"But maybe tomorrow. I don't think I'm busy tomorrow."  
  
"Aight, cool. Take care, John."  
  
"See ya, Paul!" he said as we parted ways. John was pretty cool. We had been classmates for a while at the Public School, and we talked on the phone every so often. I was proud to have him for a friend.  
  
Soon I came to the front door of 8 On The Break, the local arcade and hangout. They have the coolest games, and some very good munchies as well. I went there sometimes for lunch or dinner. While they're making it, you can go play the video games, and when it was ready they came and got you. Talk about service!  
  
As I stepped through the door, I was greeted by the familiar drone of dozens of games all going at the same time, and the chatter of the patrons within. I smiled. I loved this place. It was so cool.  
  
Before I got my lunch, I wanted to try my hand at Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, one of the hottest fighting games around. It pitted the "Marvel" superheroes against the "Street Fighter 2" combatants. I always selected Ryu and Cammy as my team, but I never made it past the second level, which was the case today. I slammed the buttons in disgust. That damn second level! It always got me! Oh, well.  
  
Now it was time to eat! I moseyed on over to the bar-like counter near the back of the room, and sat down on one of the stools.  
  
"What can I get you?" the lady asked.  
  
"I'll have the cheesesteak special with an RC Cola, please."  
  
"No problem. Do you want barbecue sauce, or…"  
  
"No thanks. Just cheese and onions."  
  
"You got it." She said. She turned and started taking the necessary food products out of the freezer. I leaned back and looked over at the TV on top of the vending machine. Some show about teen pregnancy. BOR-ING! As if I didn't see enough of that on "Springer."  
  
"Hey…" The lady behind the counter called, "Can I ask you something?"  
  
I turned back to the counter. "Yeah, sure."  
  
"Do you play that game…um, Pokey-man?"  
  
I wondered why she would ask me of all people. "Yes, I do. Why?"  
  
"Well, I'm not asking for me," she said, "but my nephew has the game and he needs some help. I just knew that at least one person here had to be familiar with it."  
  
"Um, OK, what can I help you with?"  
  
"Uh, he needs to find this one Pokeman, or whatever they're called. He doesn't know where it is."  
  
"Which one?" I asked.  
  
"It was…um…damn, I can't remember the name… something about a 'buffet…'"  
  
I raised my eyebrow. "You mean, Wobbuffet?"  
  
"That's the one."  
  
Now things were starting to get strange. That's the third time in a day different people asked me about Wobbuffet. It was like he was the newest "fad," like Pogs had been. I couldn't understand why anybody would want one. He really sucked.  
  
"Do you know where it is?"  
  
"Uh, yeah. He's in the place called 'Dark Cave.'"  
  
"Hold on, let me write that down…Dark…Cave…okay, I've got it. Thanks."  
  
"You're welcome." I said. "You know, it's so odd…you're the third person today to ask me about a Wobbuffet. It's like they're the latest 'thing.'"  
  
"Well, my nephew was over his friend's house, and he comes home and he's all like, 'Auntie! Auntie! Danny just captured a Wobbuffet and I want one, too! I want one, I want one!'"  
  
"Interesting…" I mused.  
  
"And I said to him, 'Well, when I go to work, I'm sure one of the kids can help.' Of course, I didn't know that would be true."  
  
"Well, I'm glad I could help." I said.  
  
"I appreciate it." She replied, "Now, here's your cheesesteak. You wanted Cola with that, right?"  
  
"Please." I said. 


	2. A Pikachu, perhaps?

II  
  
"See ya later, Scott." I said as I exited Boyhood Dreams.  
  
"Alright, man."  
  
Boyhood Dreams is Dunellen's Comic Book shop, and besides comics, they sell stuff for "Dungeons and Dragons," "Legend of the 5 Rings," and of course, "Magic" cards. As I walked up Washington Avenue, I tore open the two Booster Packs I had bought from the Odyssey expansion. I got some good cards…nothing spectacular. The Rares from Odyssey really suck. I also got a "Chatter of the Squirrel," "Firebolt," and other assorted spells and creatures. My weakness when I play is that I don't have exceptionally good card combos or creatures. So my strategy is to use tons of direct damage and attack with the creatures I do have before my opponent can get a decent defense up.  
  
I crossed the street, still looking at my cards, and suddenly I looked up. My vision isn't the world's sharpest, but I thought I saw some kind of animal in the park located right on Washington Ave. It was all black, like a cat. But then it zoomed behind a rock and was gone. I stood on the sidewalk a moment longer, to see if it would re-appear, but it didn't. I dismissed it as a trick my eyes played on me. I started off again toward home, and just as I started walking, I thought I saw the thing peek out from behind a bush, but when I turned, it vanished once again. Boy, I tell ya, some pretty crazy things happen to me!  
  
  
  
At home, I decided to play "Magic" against myself, so as to test out my new cards. I decided to use my "One-two Punch" deck against the deck I put my new cards into. Just as I cast an "Elephant Ambush," the phone rang.  
  
"Y'ello?" (Homer Simpson style.)  
  
"Hey, Pauly-boy!"  
  
"Oh, hi Tommy." I said. Tommy Hornermann was my best friend for as long as I could remember. We talked about everything, ranging from girls to the "If you had 3 wishes…" question. "What's up?"  
  
"Nothing much." He said. "How come you weren't at Magic yesterday?"  
  
"I had to go shopping with my mother. I wanted to go, but nooooo! 'You have to go shopping,' Mother said!"  
  
"Very nice, Paul."  
  
"But I DID just get back from buying some new cards."  
  
"What's the rare?" he asked.  
  
"Um, 'Seize The Day,' I think."  
  
"Hmm. Any good cards?"  
  
"I got a 'Firebolt,'" I told him, "And 'Chatter of the Squirrel.'"  
  
"You must have misheard me. I said, 'any GOOD cards?'"  
  
I laughed. "Well, according to you, I NEVER get any good cards."  
  
"Which is true," he said. "I told you never to buy any cards from Odyssey."  
  
"They've got good cards in Odyssey," I said, "They're just ultra rare, that's all."  
  
"That's why you don't buy packs from Odyssey! Buy packs from Apocalypse, or Prophecy."  
  
"Whatever." I said. "I don't need to be told which cards to buy."  
  
"But maybe you do."  
  
"No, I don't. I think I know what I'm doing."  
  
"You also think 'Pokemon' is a cool game," he pointed out.  
  
"Pokemon IS a good game!"  
  
"I rest my case." He said with an air of satisfaction.  
  
"Speaking of Pokemon…" I began…  
  
"Oh, God, here we go."  
  
"I was walking in town today, and I could have sworn I saw a black shadow in Washington Park."  
  
"Well, most shadows ARE black, Paul." Was the reply.  
  
"No, no… this was different. It was almost like some kind of animal, because it moved around and hid behind a rock."  
  
There was a brief silence. "Ya-huh. Sure, Paul. I think you've been playing a little too much Pokemon."  
  
"No, I'm serious! There was this little black thing that ran around the park!"  
  
"Whatever you say, Paul. I knew one day 'Pokemon' would go to your head."  
  
"Fine," I said, "Don't believe me."  
  
"OK, I won't."  
  
"But I know what I saw."  
  
"ANYway, guess what game I got for my computer?" he asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Final Fantasy X."  
  
"Really? That's impossible because FFX is for Playstation 2."  
  
"Dude, it's called a rom…"  
  
"Where the hell did you get FFX on the net?"  
  
"I found this 'Warez' site that sells roms for PS2 and Dreamcast." He said.  
  
"You mean you BOUGHT it?" I cried in disbelief.  
  
"Yep. I'm a dirty criminal."  
  
"Indeed you are." I told him. "Well, I gotta run. I've gotta do some more planning for my book."  
  
"Book?" he said, "What book?"  
  
"Oh, didn't you know? I'm writing a story where I get taken to the world of Pokemon."  
  
"(click)"  
  
  
  
Later that day, I was playing "Pokemon," when Mother asked me to go for milk. So I reluctantly put down my Game Boy and stepped out (once again) into the frigid January late-afternoon.  
  
The store wasn't far, so I took my time walking down Madison Avenue. Madison wasn't an extremely busy street; in Monopoly it would probably be "Red" or "Yellow." As I walked, I was looking at the ground, which I usually do out of habit, and then I suddenly looked up. I drew in a sharp breath. A little ways down the street, hiding behind a parking meter, was a small, black animal, crouching close to the ground.  
  
I approached it very slowly, trying not to startle it. Then, in a flash, it zoomed behind the next parking meter. I followed it, and then it zoomed behind the NEXT parking meter. Still I followed it, and when I got close, it stayed still for a moment, then with a cry of "Chuuuuuu!" it took off in a flash.  
  
Did my ears deceive me? It said "chu!" As in Pikachu. "No," I told myself, "Don't be silly. Pikachu is just a video game character." But the more I tried to find an explanation, the more I started to believe that something strange was going on. First, about three people asked me about Wobbuffet, then I see and hear a strange animal, (Pikachu?)… Something was definitely up. But rather than stew on that the whole time, I figured I'd better get on with the errand. Things would surely explain themselves later.  
  
As I continued up Madison, I was unaware of the small, mouse-like creature watching me silently from behind a garbage can. 


	3. He's baaaaack!

III  
  
"29! Ooh, yeah! Gimme them bonus stars, baby!" I exclaimed in victory, while playing my new game, "Super Mario Advance 2." It was a really awesome game, and I played it almost nonstop. It was so cool that now you could be either Mario OR Luigi. And I had just finished Soda Lake, which is a pain-in-the-butt level, what with all the Torpedo Teds and all. Next stop: Star Road!  
  
"Paul! Dinner!" came a cry from the kitchen.  
  
"Aw, man!" I moaned, "All right, I'm coming!" I reluctantly shut off my GBA and got washed up. Scant moments later, I was seated at the dinner table. Tacos! My favorite!  
  
Dinner proceeded pretty much in silence, as Mom had "Jeopardy" on and kept shushing us. During the commercial, I decided to bring up the events of the day.  
  
"You know, the strangest things have been happening to me today."  
  
"Really?" said Dad, "Like what?"  
  
"Well, first, about three or four different people today asked me about the same Pokemon."  
  
"Which one?" asked Dad, pretending to be interested. Though I talked with him about video games, I knew he didn't give two flying pieces of baklava.  
  
"It's called Wobbuffet. He's this one Pokemon that can't attack on its own. It absorbs damage, then pays it back double using counter-attacks."  
  
"Oh, that's cool." Said Dad, again, B.S.-ing me.  
  
"But so many people asked me about it today. John, Donald, the lady at The Break… it's like he's a new craze."  
  
"Well, maybe people think he's cool." Said Mom, chiming in.  
  
"Believe me, he's not." I said. "And also today, I kept seeing this little shadowy animal that kept darting around everywhere."  
  
Mom rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure."  
  
"No, I'm serious! And then when I got close to it, it yelled 'Chuuu' and ran away!"  
  
"You're probably just imagining things."  
  
"I'm telling you, I saw a Pikachu!"  
  
"Uh-huh, sure you did. Now quiet, it's Final Jeopardy." Thus ended the dinner conversation.  
  
  
  
Later that evening, I was back in my room listening to WABC and playing "Pokemon Crystal" when I suddenly became alert. I lowered the radio and turned my GBA volume down. I thought I heard rustling in the bushes. I looked out my window, which overlooks a Rhododendron bush, but saw nothing. I told myself it was just the wind. I got back into playing position, when I heard it again. This time I opened the window and stuck my head out. Listening intently, I could just make out a faint chattering in the bush, going "chaa. Pik…chu, chu." This time, I knew it was a Pikachu, and I was going to get it!  
  
I threw on my jacket and hat and bolted out the back door. Once in the front yard, I got down on my stomach and inched my way slowly to the bush. Suddenly, a faint yellow light started emanating from the bush, growing steadily brighter.  
  
"No way!" I cried, "Pokemon aren't real! This is absurd!" Suddenly the light went out, and I could hear or see no more from the bush. I stayed out there for a little while longer, trying to figure out if I had seen a really big firefly, or if I was just going insane. Finally, I stuck my hand in the bush, but felt nothing.  
  
"Damn it." I muttered, going back inside. I knew what I had seen.  
  
Just as I walked in the back door, the phone rang. I picked it up. "Y'ello?"  
  
"Hi, Paul."  
  
"Oh, hi Donald." Great. Here was someone who would believe me!  
  
"What are you doing right now?" he asked.  
  
"Well, you're not going to believe this, but I saw a Pikachu on my front lawn."  
  
Silence. "Are you kidding me?"  
  
"No, sir! I saw this yellow light coming from a bush, and I heard it chattering."  
  
"Hmm… That sounds like what I saw today."  
  
"You saw it, too?!" I asked in disbelief.  
  
"Well, I saw something like it. I saw light coming from the back of my house, and then it disappeared. But I didn't hear no chattering or anything."  
  
"Isn't this cool? There's a Pikachu loose in Dunellen!"  
  
"Hey, I got a great idea…" he said, "Why don't we try to catch it? Then he could be our pet!"  
  
"Yeah! That would be so awesome!" I cried. "Tell you what… Meet me in front of my house in ten minutes, and we'll go hunting for it."  
  
"Excellent."  
  
"And bring rubber gloves, if the cartoon has taught us anything."  
  
"Gotcha. I'll be there." He said, and hung up. 


	4. The Hunt!

IV  
  
As I got some things together to catch the little rat, including a net, some bait, (which was just Triscuit crackers, but who knows what those things eat?) and rubber gloves, a tingle of excitement ran through me. Not only was it totally cool that Pikachu actually existed outside the video game, there was one right here in my neighborhood! How cool is that?  
  
Finally, all the preparations were made. I strode out the front door, and after a short while, Donald showed up, and I laughed. He was dressed completely in black, with a black wool cap pulled over his face.  
  
"Ha, ha, ha! Don, someone might think you're out to rob a house!" I laughed.  
  
"Just wanna make sure it doesn't see me." he said. "Do you got everything?"  
  
"Yep. Net, gloves, bait… we're ready!"  
  
"Great." He said, "Now where do we start looking?"  
  
I was silent for a moment, thinking. "Well, I first saw the yellow light in that bush over there. Let's start there."  
  
And so we crept up to the Rhododendron bush and parted the branches, to find…nothing! We then checked the bush under the bay window, also to find nothing. We even looked in the big bushes on the side of the Cattle's place, to no avail.  
  
I thought for a moment more. "You said you also saw the light in your backyard, right?" I asked him. "Let's look there."  
  
And so we took a leisurely stroll up Sanford Avenue until we came to the Hoffer Residence. We quietly opened the gate to the backyard and stole in. We split up to check the whole yard, and we still found nothing. Until, that is, I inspected the little plastic kids slide in the corner of the yard. I saw something that made me excited and sick at the same time.  
  
"Yo, Donald!" I called, "Come look at this! Bring your flashlight!" He tiptoed over, and I said, "Point the light there." When the light hit the object, we saw what it was. Small lumps in a pile, glowing very faintly.  
  
"Pikachu droppings," I whispered.  
  
"Are you sure? Maybe it's from a dog or something."  
  
"Does dog doo glow like that, man?" I whispered fiercely.  
  
"Well, no, but…"  
  
"And look how small it is! No dog I've ever seen leaves dung that small. I'm telling you, this is from that Pikachu."  
  
"Okay, let's say it is." Said Don, "Now what?"  
  
"We follow the trail." I said quietly, pointing. Little footprints in the soft soil led away from the slide and out the gate. "Let's go."  
  
We crept across the grass, following the tracks. However, soon the path was lost because the prints led out into the street. So we had to check the four corners of the intersection, trying to pick the tracks back up. Finally, we found them, in the soil of the only part of First Street with no sidewalks. We traced the footprints all the way up First Street, and then I got a big shock. The tracks turned abruptly, leading right up my front lawn!  
  
"Don!" I whispered, "He's back at my house! This is nuts."  
  
"Let's go get him." He said. "We've flushed him out, now."  
  
"Right."  
  
We quietly climbed up the little hill and followed the trail, which led to the gate that led to the backyard. I softly opened the gate, and to my surprise, we couldn't find the footprints again. The soil was soft, and any animal would have left clear tracks, but there were none.  
  
"Man… we've lost it." I said.  
  
Don was quiet for a moment. "Well, I think we should…"  
  
Suddenly, a brilliant light was cast upon us, shining from above.  
  
"Aw, crap!" I moaned, "That stupid motion sensor light!"  
  
Suddenly, I realized something else. If that light was on, the alarm in the spare bedroom would be going off as well.  
  
"Damn it! Don, get out of here! My parents are gonna get woken up! I'll handle this."  
  
"But what about the Pikachu?"  
  
"We'll look for it tomorrow. It's late, anyway. Now, go!"  
  
He turned and ran, and soon his black sweatsuit ensemble was swallowed by the even blacker night. 


	5. ZAP!!!

V  
  
"You'd better have a good explanation handy, young man!" said my mother, who had come outside to see why the light had come on. "What on earth were you doing out there, in the middle of the night?"  
  
I knew my mom meant business, but I just had to chuckle. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."  
  
"Try me."  
  
"Okay," I said, "I'll tell you what I was doing. I was looking for a Pikachu."  
  
Mom slapped her head. "Oh, for the love of… have you gone insane? You woke me up because you can't get out of your little fantasy world?"  
  
"Mom…"  
  
"Don't 'mom' me! We're cutting back on your video game time, young one. Then hopefully you'll stop having midnight urges to go Pikachu hunting."  
  
"Mom, we found its droppings."  
  
"Bull! Now I know you're playing too much video games. And besides that, you're filthy! You look like you've been crawling around on the front lawn!"  
  
"Well, I kinda have." I told her.  
  
"Enough. You take yourself a bath and then go to bed, you hear me? We'll talk about this in the morning." And with that, she turned and went back upstairs.  
  
" 'Take yourself a bath and go to bed,'" I said, mocking her. What kind of mother makes you take a bath at one in the morning? But I could tell I needed one.  
  
And so, I went into the bathroom, and started filling the tub with water. At least I had fun tonight, I thought. I rarely get to do anything cool with Donald, but tonight was an exception. I began wondering if I had just imagined the yellow light and the chattering. "No," I told myself, "What about that shadowy animal? And the glowing dung? All signs point to Pikachu." Oh, well. I would look more in the morning. It made me uncomfortable, however, when I recalled that the footprints had ended right in front of my house. But I tried not to let it bother me. As I went to undress, I felt a weight in my pocket.  
  
"Oh. Almost forgot to take my Game Boy out of my pocket." I said to myself. As I lifted it out, I suddenly looked up, and screamed. Standing in front of the bathroom door was a yellow, mouse-looking creature, with red cheek-patches and a zig-zaggy tail. In other words, a Pikachu was standing right in front of me, in my bathroom.  
  
"Holy hell!" I cried. I started to back away, but it followed me, backing me into a corner. I was scared crapless! I knew what these things were capable of. It stared at me with angry eyes, advancing towards me. Its cheeks, which are what generates its electrical attack, were slowly starting to glow.  
  
"Oh, boy…" I murmured, knowing that this thing was about to zap me. I stood there, unable to move. Suddenly, in a flash, it ran and jumped on top of me. I fell back, into the bathtub. It jumped on the edge, glaring at me, its cheeks glowing even brighter. Suddenly, my brain sent me an interesting question. "Isn't the bathtub the worst place to be when you're about to get shocked?"  
  
That thought proved to be my last, because before I could move, the Pikachu sent a gigantic electric attack my way. My body shook as the electric currents surged through me. I had a vague awareness of dropping my Game Boy into the tub, and then I collapsed in the water.  
  
Blackness. Inky blackness was all I saw. I couldn't move, but I didn't know if that meant I was paralyzed, or if my senses weren't functioning. Suddenly, I began to see images in front of me. Images of different people and things. I saw Ash Ketchum, the hero of the "Pokemon" game, high-fiving his Pikachu. I saw Lance, the leader of the Elite Four. He looked distressed, like something was troubling him. A vision of Gold, the character from the Gold and Silver versions, and Silver, his rival, passed before me. They were running, and they looked scared. It looked as if they were fleeing from something evil. Then I saw the insignia of Team Rocket, an evil Pokemon society, flash in front of me, accompanied by a cackling laugh. Finally, I saw a Poke Ball open to reveal a Wobbuffet. It looked left and right, as if searching for something. Then it turned and stared right at me. It started glowing, and it unleashed a brutal psychic attack. I saw nothing after that. 


	6. Ash appears!

VI  
  
The blackness that surrounded me, in some way, seemed to lessen and become thinner. Slowly, I became aware of my body again. The first thing I could tell was that I was lying down, on my stomach. Then, I got my hands back, which felt soft grass around me. My face came back next, which was still burning from that Pikachu's Thundershock. Finally, I regained the option to open my eyes. However, before I could do so, I felt a sharp pain in my leg. And then another on my back. Suddenly, random pains began a rampage on my body. I put my hands over my head and screamed. I didn't know what was doing it, but I wouldn't be able to take much more.  
  
Suddenly, I heard a voice. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt NOW!" I felt a burst of heat, and I heard a faint crackling noise, and then the pain stopped. I slowly opened my eyes, and saw a pair of red and white sneakers in front of me. I looked up gradually, and when I saw who the figure was, I was ready to faint again.  
  
Standing before me was none other than Ash Ketchum, world renowned Pokemon Trainer and main character of the TV series and video games. His Pikachu stood at his side, cool as a cucumber. I screamed again.  
  
"Whoa, calm down!" said Ash, bending down. "Are you okay?"  
  
I slowly looked up again. This had to be a dream. "A-a-Ash? Is it really Ash?"  
  
"Yep! That's me! Hahaha!"  
  
I struggled to my feet. "But, how? What…? How…?" I tried to find the right words.  
  
Ash laughed again. "Take it easy, dude. You've had quite a busy day."  
  
"Pika, pika!"  
  
"But, I don't understand. How did I get here? Where am I?"  
  
"What do you mean, 'how did you get here?'"  
  
"Well, I mean, I don't know… I was at home minding my own business, and then this Pikachu zapped me into next week, and then I feel all these sharp pains all over me, and then POW! I see you." I struggled to catch my breath.  
  
Ash glanced at Pikachu with a look that said, "He's cucco." Pikachu nodded.  
  
"So, you claim you just APPEARED here, huh?" he said, "Well, I've never heard of anything like that happening. And those sharp pains was a flock of Spearows. They were mauling you, until Ash The Great came and scared them away. But I really don't think you just came out of thin air."  
  
"Piii-ka."  
  
I glared at Ash. "You think I'm crazy, don't you?"  
  
"Well," he said, "I'm gonna have to take your word for it, as crazy as it sounds. I've never seen you around before, so you must come from SOMEwhere."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
A brief, awkward silence passed. Pikachu stood between us, looking from one to the other. Finally, I broke the silence.  
  
"So?"  
  
"So, what?"  
  
"So what are you doing right now?" I asked, "Out looking for more Pokemon? Traveling to new locations?"  
  
"Actually," said Ash, "I'm on my way to meet my friend, Gold, in Olivine City. He's arriving on the S.S. Aqua at 3:00, and he said he had urgent news for me."  
  
Gold was, of course, the main character in the Gold and Silver versions of the Pokemon video game.  
  
"Awesome!" I said. "I've never seen Gold in person. He was never on the TV show…"  
  
"TV show?" said Ash with a quizzical look.  
  
"Nevermind." I said. "Can I come with you?"  
  
Ash's face turned thoughtful. "Wellll…I don't know…"  
  
"Pleeeeease? I've always wanted to travel around with you! Me and Ash, the world's most famous Pokemon Trainer!"  
  
"Flattery will get you nowhere, kid."  
  
"But it's true!"  
  
Ash thought some more. Finally he leaned down and whispered to Pikachu, "What do you think? Should he come with us?"  
  
Pikachu whispered the equivalent of, "It's ok with me, but if he starts acting freaky, I'm gonna zap him into next week."  
  
Finally, Ash put his hand out. "OK, you can come with us. What was your name again?"  
  
"Paul."  
  
"Alright, Paul, you can tag along. I wouldn't mind having a traveling partner."  
  
"Excellent!" I exclaimed. This would be so cool, traveling around with Ash. Suddenly, he asked a question that caught me off guard.  
  
"So where are your Pokemon?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Your Pokemon. You gotta have Pokemon to travel. What if another trainer challenges you?"  
  
"Oh… well, the only Pokemon I have are the ones on the video game." Suddenly I remembered putting the Game Boy in my pocket. Reaching in, I was shocked to find six shiny Poke Balls.  
  
"See?" said Ash, "You DO have Pokemon. Let's have a look."  
  
I flung each Poke Ball to the ground to reveal the Pokemon within. They were all there; my Meganium, my Charizard, the Gengar I had raised from a Gastly, the Cloyster I fished up, my Fearow, and finally, the Lanturn I caught in Olivine.  
  
"Hello, boys!" I cried. "So good to see you like this!"  
  
My Pokemon stood and looked at me like I was crazy. Finally, my Meganium walked over to me slowly. I petted its head, and it cooed softly. My other Pokemon slowly came to my side. This is what I have dreamed of since the days of the Red Version…being able to stand tall with my Pokemon beside me.  
  
"You've got some good looking Pokemon there." Said Ash. "I'd love to see them in battle."  
  
I was stunned. "Wait…are you saying…?"  
  
"Yep. Let's battle! You and me! Right now!"  
  
"You got it!" I cried. "How many Poke Balls?"  
  
"3 on 3 works for me!"  
  
"As you wish!" I said, and I twisted my cap around and threw my first Poke Ball. "Let's go, Meganium!"  
  
Ash threw out the Poke Ball containing his Snorlax. A big, lazy creature, Snorlax was slow, but very strong.  
  
"Meganium, Sleep Powder!" Meganium, a pure Grass Pokemon with a flower around its neck, released a cloud of yellow spores that filled the air. Snorlax immediately fell into a deep sleep.  
  
"You may think you have the advantage…" muttered Ash, "But watch this! Snorlax, use Snore!"  
  
Snore was a sleeping attack that dealt physical damage. Meganium reeled under the impact.  
  
"C'mon, Meganium, you're stronger! Prepare Solarbeam!" The plant Pokemon raised its green head, looking at the sun. It began to absorb light shining from above, and soon it began to shine as if on fire.  
  
"Snorlax, use Snore again!" Snorlax again unleashed the Snore attack. But my Meganium stood strong.  
  
The Solarbeam was ready. "Fire at will!" I shouted. My Pokemon unleashed a brilliant, shining ray of light, spouting from its antennae, that shot across the field and rammed into the Snorlax. However, the impact woke Snorlax up.  
  
"Alright, Snorlax, give it a Body Slam!" shouted Ash. The Snorlax stood up, and charged at my precious Grass type. But once again, it survived the attack.  
  
"OK, Meganium, finish it off! Cut it!" Using its Grass powers, it chopped at Snorlax, delivering the finishing blow. Snorlax collapsed on its back.  
  
"Hmm, not bad!" said Ash. "But now it's serious! Espeon, I choose you!" He tossed out his second Poke Ball, revealing a cat-like creature called Espeon. Espeon was the Psychic evolution of Eevee, which was a Pokemon that could evolve into many different Pokemon.  
  
I withdrew Meganium, as it was tired and could not go on. "A Psychic type, huh?" I mused. "Alright then. I choose Gengar!" I flung out my second Ball, revealing the Ghost type Gengar. Ghost types were very strong and had few weaknesses. Many attacks just pass right through them!  
  
"OK, Espeon," said Ash, "Let's make the first attack! Use Psybeam, now!" A multicolored blast of Psychic energy flew from the Espeon, hitting Gengar hard.  
  
"That can't stop us!" I boasted, "Gengar, let's have your Curse attack!" Gengar raised its arms and started emitting ultrasonic waves. In that instant, Espeon coiled back, as if hit by a strong attack.  
  
"Oh, no! Espeon!" cried Ash. "Can you still fight?" The Eevee evolution looked up at its trainer with tired eyes, but it seemed to say, "I will not let you down."  
  
"OK, then, Espeon, if you can still go on… let's have a Psywave, now!" With a lot of effort, Espeon sent forth a ball of Psychic energy that struck Gengar and made it stumble backwards. I could see that my Gengar could not go on.  
  
"Gengar, return!" I commanded, calling it back to its Poke Ball. "Um, I think I'll go with… Charizard!" I summoned my Fire and Flying type, the dragon-esque Charizard. Tough to control, yes, but valuable in battle. "Charizard, let's have your Flamethrower attack!" Charizard spat forth a fountain of flames at poor Espeon, which caused it to faint on the spot.  
  
"So it's down to 1 on 1, huh?" snickered Ash. "Ok, I choose…Pikachu!"  
  
"Pikaaaa!" cried the small, electric mouse as it leapt into the battlefield. Pikachu packed a serious punch, (as I had found out earlier), but Ash's Pikachu in particular had electrical powers unmatched by any other.  
  
"Pikachu, paralyze it!" cried Ash.  
  
"Pikapi, ka…chuuuuu!" A field of electric waves spewed forth from the Pikachu, and Charizard lurched. I knew what paralysis could do, but it was down to the last Pokemon, so I had no choice but to keep going.  
  
"Charizard, Fly now!" Despite its paralyzed condition, my dragon flew high into the sky to prepare for an aerial assault.  
  
"Smart thinking." Said Ash. "Normally, a Pokemon can't be attacked while Flying, but we've got a way around that."  
  
"You do??"  
  
"Pikachu, Thunder attack, now!"  
  
"Pi-ka-CHUUUUU!!!" The clouds above darkened, and a massive lightning bolt shot forth from the clouds, slicing cleanly through Charizard and impacting the ground with great force. Charizard fell to earth, and had to be recalled. The battle was over. I had been beaten by Ash.  
  
"All right, Pikachu!" cried Ash, "I knew we would win! We're not gonna let some newcomer beat us, right?" He patted Pikachu on the head.  
  
"Pikapi! Pika-chu!"  
  
For a minute I stood still, caught up in the moment. The fact that I had lost wasn't that which was keeping me riveted. Rather, it was the fact that I had just fought a real-life Pokemon battle against the world's best trainer, Ash. If you had told me I would be doing this about an hour ago, I would have laughed you right out of my room.  
  
I was still having a hard time comprehending what had happened to me. One minute, I'm in my house taking a bath, then the next, I'm in the world of Pokemon, fighting Ash. And then suddenly, it hit me…my ultimate wish had come true! I had always wanted to be here, and now I was!  
  
"YIPPEE!" I cried, jumping into the air, "My dream has come true! Yee-ha!"  
  
Ash and Pikachu looked at each other and rolled their eyes.  
  
"Kid…" began Ash.  
  
"The name's Paul." I said.  
  
"Right. Paul, calm down. You're making a fool of yourself."  
  
"Pi-kaaaa."  
  
"Sorry." I said, "But it's always been my dream to live in this world. I don't think you understand."  
  
"Well, this is no dream…"  
  
"I know! That's what makes it so cool!" I cried.  
  
"Sure, whatever you say." Said Ash with a sideways glance. "Well, I had fun battling you…"  
  
"Me too! My first REAL Pokemon battle!"  
  
"Right. Well, if you want to come with us to Olivine, we'd better get on the road."  
  
"Right, then!" I said. "Off we go!" 


	7. Battle with the biker

VII  
  
Ash and I set out towards Olivine, our Pokemon in tow. Pikachu rode on Ash's shoulders, as he often does. It was mid-afternoon, and as we walked, we saw several wild Pokemon playing in the grasses along the side of the road. Ratattas were play-fighting with each other; we saw Nidorans battling over a piece of food… And as we walked, I was still having a hard time believing where I was. I couldn't stop thinking that this had to be a dream, that I would wake up and this would all be gone. But I pinched myself several times, and I still stood, so I had to accept that this was indeed real.  
  
"So, Ash…" I said, to break the silence, "What happened? I thought you were hanging out in Mt. Silver."  
  
"Nah, I got sick and tired of that place." He said. "One can only stay in one spot for so long. Besides," he said with a laugh, "I still have many Pokemon to catch! You didn't really think my collection was complete, did you?"  
  
"No, no, of course not." I said quickly. "And how's Misty? You two hook up yet?"  
  
"Nah. She fell for some Cool Trainer in Apple City, and I haven't seen her since."  
  
"That's a shame." I said. "Do you talk to Professor Oak much anymore?"  
  
"Yeah, I talk to him all the time. Every time I get a few new Pokemon I give him a call."  
  
"And just how many Pokemon do you…" I started to say, when all of a sudden, we heard rumbling in front of us. Then, a gang of Bikers appeared on the road. Bikers were nasty trainers that liked Poison-type Pokemon. Shortly, they braked in our path, blocking our way.  
  
"Halt!" Said one of them with a sneer, "This is our turf! Nobody may pass!"  
  
"Gimme a break," I said.  
  
"Heh, I've never seen you around," he said, "You new in town, punk?" The others laughed.  
  
"Yeah, I guess you could say that. Now let us through!"  
  
"Now let us through!" the biker said, in a mocking tone. "You wanna get through, sonny? Then you have to fight us!"  
  
"A battle, then?" I said, amused. I turned to Ash. "You mind if I do the honors?"  
  
"Ha ha ha! Go right ahead!"  
  
"Two-on-two?" I asked the Biker.  
  
"Whatever you say, punk!"  
  
"Then let's go! Gengar, I'll start with you!"  
  
My ghost type, Gengar, came out of its Poke Ball and advanced. One of my most versatile Pokemon, it knew Shadow ball, hypnosis, dream eater, and psychic. Training him was a lot of fun.  
  
"Oh, a ghost type, eh?" sneered the biker. "Alright then, let's go with Magmar!" He threw out his Poke Ball and the human-shaped Fire type appeared.  
  
"Gengar, Hypnosis!" I commanded. Gengar raised its arms and emitted a screech. The Magmar immediately fell into a deep sleep.  
  
"Oh, dude," said the Bikers, "That's not cool."  
  
"Alright, Gengar," I said, "use Dream Eater!" Dream Eater is a move that saps the Hit Points of a sleeping enemy. It instantly put Magmar out of commission.  
  
"You son of a…" snarled the Biker. "Fine, I choose Weezing next!" He threw out the Poke Ball to reveal a purple, gaseous Poison Pokemon.  
  
"Ah," I said, "A Weezing. Very noble. Allow me to present Charizard, my Fire type." My Charizard, which I nicknamed Firedude, emerged from its ball and let out a roar.  
  
"Let's make the first move." Said the Biker, "Use Toxic, Weezing!"  
  
"Charizard! You're better than that! Double Team and avoid it!" My Fire Dragon used psychic energy to create illusionary copies of itself, and the poison totally missed.  
  
"Alright, Firedude, let's have a Fire Blast!" A hot fountain of flames shot out of Charizard's mouth, engulfing the Weezing. (It made that star shape, too. Cool!) The Weezing promptly fainted. I had won!  
  
For a moment, the Biker stood, shocked. Finally he grinned and said, "Sorry I underestimated you, kid! That was a blast! See ya!" He jumped on his motorcycle and sped off, humming "Born To Be Wild."  
  
I wiped the sweat off my forehead and said to Ash, "Was that cool or what? Ha, ha, ha!"  
  
"You're pretty good." He said. "You really know how to use moves."  
  
"Yeah, I'm a natural."  
  
"Now, don't get cocky. You lost to me, remember?"  
  
"Oh, yeah…"  
  
"Now, come on! The S.S. Aqua docks at 3:00!"  
  
"Yes, sir!" I said with a grin. "Let's go!"  
  
And with that, I started walking down the road towards Olivine City, with Ash at my side. I was living my dream. 


	8. The Rocket confrontation

VIII  
  
The sun was in the western sky as we hiked along a forested path on our way to Olivine. Ash and I talked the whole time; I had so much I wanted to talk to him about. We talked about everything, from the hot girls he associated with to how he tamed his Charizard to how he spent his time inside Mt. Silver.  
  
At length, we came to a junction gate.  
  
"Now what?" I asked.  
  
"This is the gate leading to the Ilex Forest." Said Ash. "We gotta go through if we want to get to Olivine."  
  
"Alrighty, then." I said. I could use an extra hike.  
  
We passed through the gate into a dense, wooded forest where the trees completely blocked out the sky, and cries of forest Pokemon could be heard in the brush. This was Ilex Forest. Contrary to our talkative nature on the open road, the walk through the forest passed in silence.  
  
Suddenly, the bushes rustled east of us, and a wild Scyther jumped out, snarling. Scyther is a Bug Pokemon, is very fast, and has very sharp claws. Ash and I froze.  
  
"What do we do?" I whispered to him.  
  
"Catch it." Said Ash. "Would you like to do the honors?"  
  
"Absolutely." I threw down my Charizard's Poke Ball. "Let's go, Charizard!" My fire dragon appeared with a roar, and it was Scyther's turn to freeze.  
  
"Let's have your Flamethrower, Charizard!"  
  
Charizard unleashed a stream of flames that struck the Bug Pokemon hard. It staggered, but then it did something unexpected. It began to glow, and soon it jumped right up and started snarling again.  
  
"Oh, crap!" I muttered, "It's holding a Gold Berry."  
  
Now the Scyther jumped up and took a hard slash at my Fire type, causing a deep cut.  
  
"Damn," I muttered, "OK, Charizard, return! Let's go, Gengar! Put it to sleep!"  
  
Gengar used Hypnosis to send Scyther into a deep sleep.  
  
"OK, we've got it, now!" I cried. "Um…I don't have any Balls on me," I said to Ash, "Do you?"  
  
"Um, let me check. Hold on…" Ash began fumbling around in his bag, looking for a Ball.  
  
Suddenly, we heard loud cries of Pokemon in front of us. Then a whole bunch of monsters came running at full speed out of the trees toward us. We dodged them, but then we realized that they weren't running to attack us… they were running away from something up ahead.  
  
As the last Pokemon scuttled away into the brush, I said to Ash, "What the hell was that?"  
  
"Well, they were obviously running from SOMEthing. Let's check it out."  
  
We cautiously tiptoed up to the gap in the trees and parted the bushes. What we saw made us gasp. There were about ten members of Team Rocket standing in a clearing, apparently locked in conversation. Team Rocket is an evil society of trainers that use Pokemon to commit crimes, do their dirty work, and basically wreak havoc. According to the story of the video games, both Ash and Gold disbanded them, but I guess they were still in business.  
  
We tried to hear what they were talking about. We could only make out snippets. "…Ultra rare Pokemon…" , "…Forest Protector…", "…could sell it…" , "…big plan…"  
  
"What are they talking about?" I whispered to Ash.  
  
"I don't know," said Ash. "But they mean nothing but trouble."  
  
"Yeah…" I said. We tried to edge closer, but then I accidentally stepped on a twig, and the Rockets spun around.  
  
"Who's there?" said one of them. "Show yourself!"  
  
"Stay down…" whispered Ash, but he was too late, because I had already stepped into the clearing.  
  
"And who are you?" asked the Rockets.  
  
"I am Paul Glicklin!" I declared. "Lover of Pokemon and hater of Rockets!"  
  
"Is that so?" sneered one of them.  
  
"Yes it is!" I said. "And I am not alone, either! Allow me to introduce my new friend, Ash Ketchum!"  
  
Behind the bush, Ash slapped his head and muttered, "Stupid kid," but got up anyway and stepped into the clearing.  
  
"Oh-no, not that kid again!" snarled one of the Rockets. "He's the one who broke us up three years ago!" A murmur rose among the group of Rockets. Ash gave a weak wave.  
  
"That's right!" I said, "And together, we're unstoppable! C'mon, ya wanna battle, punks?"  
  
The Rockets exchanged looks with each other. Finally, the leader said, "Look. We don't like messing with kids. You'd be incredibly stupid to challenge us."  
  
"Ya want me to make you eat your words?"  
  
"Shut up, you little brat. We don't have time to deal with the likes of you now. Team Rocket will deal with you later. C'mon, men, let's get out of here." The Rockets formed a line and marched down a wooded path, eventually leaving view.  
  
Ash and I stood in the clearing in silence for a moment, and then I threw my hat up in the air.  
  
"Whoopee! We scared off Team Rocket!"  
  
Ash just stood and looked at me. "You're really bright," he said sarcastically, "Now that you've made them mad, they're just gonna come for you later. They take no prisoners."  
  
"Yeah, whatever. If they come for me, I'll beat them back."  
  
"Sure, whatever." Said Ash. "Come on, let's get out of the forest." Suddenly he started looking all around. "Oh-no, where's Pikachu?" We searched the entire clearing, calling out Pikachu's name, and then we found him trying to wrestle a piece of food away from a Butterfree.  
  
"Pikachu! Let's go!" called Ash. Pikachu reluctantly let go of the pellet and hopped on Ash's shoulders. And with that, we hiked deeper into the woods, our destination being the port town of Olivine. 


	9. The big news

IX  
  
We emerged from Ilex Forest with the sun high in the sky. My feet were tired, and I'm guessing Ash's were, too. Pikachu was snoozing in his Poke Ball, and I was considering hitching a ride on my Meganium, but decided against it. We did fight one or two trainers along the way. Sometimes I fought them myself, and sometimes Ash helped me. My Pokemon were truly outstanding. They make me so proud.  
  
Shortly, Ash pointed to a tall building in the distance.  
  
"See that?" he said, "That's Olivine's Lighthouse."  
  
"Oh, right." I said, "That's where Amphy hangs out, right?"  
  
Ash turned sharply. "How did you know that? I thought you had only just arrived here."  
  
I laughed. "Just forget about it."  
  
At length, we arrived in the port town of Olivine. It had the aura of the sea around it. It smelled of salt water on the wind. Sailors were hanging out near the docks, Fishermen were dropping lines at the harbor, and people were hustling and bustling about. All the factors of a seaside city.  
  
Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulders and started running around, checking everything out. "Piiiiika? PIKA!"  
  
I looked around, taking everything in. "Nice place," I said. "Must get a lot of ships here, huh?"  
  
"Oh yeah, ships come from all over the world to Olivine." Said Ash. "Well, it's almost 3:00. We should go meet Gold at the port."  
  
The port was bustling enough to be a city in itself. Sailors running back and forth, people buying tickets, fishermen on the docks, all the makings of a port. We stood by the pier for a while, and soon the Fast Ship S.S. Aqua came chugging up to the dock. When it stopped, the stairs were extended, and trainers came streaming out the door.  
  
Presently, we saw a young man about Ash's age, with a backwards hat and Pokegear around his wrist. This must be Gold, the hero of Johto. Ash waved.  
  
"Gold! Yo, Gold! Over here!"  
  
"Piiiika!"  
  
Gold found the source of the voice and walked over.  
  
"Hey, Ash, wassup man?" he exclaimed as they shook hands. "Man, is that ship stinky! The sailors don't take showers between cruises, methinks. And who's this?" he asked, gesturing to me.  
  
"Oh, this is my new friend, Paul. We met earlier today and I saw that he's a pro at Pokemon, so we're hanging out together."  
  
"Howdy-do," I said, pumping Gold's hand, "It's a great pleasure to meet you!"  
  
"Uh, thanks. Same here. How many badges do you have?"  
  
"Um, in actuality or in the video game?"  
  
"Video game? What are you talking about?"  
  
I sighed. "Never mind."  
  
"So Gold," began Ash, "what's the big news you had for us?"  
  
Gold looked from side to side. "Not here… let's go to the diner and talk."  
  
"Alrighty, then." We said, and took a stroll out of the port and to the small café next to the Pokemon Center.  
  
A few minutes later, we were seated around an ill-lit table in the café. I was munching on a Bellossom Burger with Flaffy Fries. Gold and Ash were splitting a Scyther sirloin, and Pikachu was slurping at a Charizard Chocolate Shake. Finally, with our meals completed and our bellies full, Gold leaned in and began telling us the "big news."  
  
"I heard this when I was on Cinnabar Island," he said. "You all know that Cinnabar is the birthplace of Mewtwo, right?"  
  
"Yes…"  
  
"Okay, well, after Mewtwo escaped, the scientists built a scanner that reacts to Psychic energy. They were hoping it would return, and they wanted to track it." He leaned in closer. "Well, a few days ago, the scanner began going nuts. It was beeping and squawking like crazy."  
  
"Did Mewtwo return?" I asked.  
  
"See, that's the thing. They can't find him at all. And what's more, the scanner was picking up so much psychic energy that it exploded!"  
  
"Pikaa?"  
  
"So I did some sleuthing around." Gold continued. "I went to Saffron City, the metropolis of Kanto, to see if I could learn anything from the locals. Not much luck, however. Finally, when I was on the verge of giving up, I spotted Jessie and James in a dark alley behind Silph Co."  
  
Jessie and James were two members of Team Rocket that thrived on making Ash's life miserable. They appeared frequently in the games and on the show.  
  
Ash balled his fists. "Those two! I hate them! What could they be planning now?!"  
  
Gold went on. "So I hid behind a trash can and listened. I didn't hear much, but they said they were on their way to Blackthorn City to tell the Boss some big news."  
  
The "Boss" was Giovanni, former Viridian Gym Leader and head of Team Rocket.  
  
"So I took the Magnet Train over to Blackthorn as quickly as I could, just in time to see a bunch of Rockets going into Dragon's Den. So I followed them in. Once inside, I found all the Rockets surrounding Giovanni, and I tried to edge close enough to hear the meeting."  
  
"What did you hear?" I asked.  
  
"Well, Giovanni was talking about the Ilex Forest protector, named Celebi. Apparently, it has materialized after 5,000 years on the other side. And it's angry at the whole world for taking Pokemon for granted, and it's amassing an army and it's planning to take the entire world by force."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Piii?"  
  
"Yeah. And to top it off, the army consists of about a million Mewtwo clones! That's why the scanner was going nuts."  
  
There was a brief silence. Finally, I said, "What are we going to do about it?"  
  
There was another brief silence, then Gold said, "Well, I don't think it's wise for us to just jump right in and start a war by ourselves. I think we should find out as much as we can, and get some good people to help us."  
  
"Hear, hear." Said Ash.  
  
"Pika, Pika!"  
  
"Alright," I said to Gold, "You're the boss."  
  
Just then the check came, and I became aware of some unfriendly glances directed at me. Finally Ash said, "Don't get stingy on us, Glicklin."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
We exited the diner and were greeted immediately by the salty sea air of Olivine.  
  
"So now where do we go?" I asked.  
  
Gold thought for a moment, then said, "Well, there's a wise man named Kurt who lives in Azalea Town, southeast of here. It's on the other side of Union Cove."  
  
Union Cave was a junction between Violet City and Azalea Town in the video game. It seemed small at first, but once you learned Surf, you were proven wrong.  
  
"I was actually on my way to see him, anyway," Gold continued, "to pick up some Balls that he's making me. So we can kill two birds with one stone."  
  
"Sounds like a plan." Said Ash.  
  
"Piiika-CHU!"  
  
"Let's go!" I cried, dashing off. Ash and Gold just looked at each other, exchanged shrugs, and ran off after me, with Pikachu close behind. 


	10. Rocket exposition

X  
  
The road to Union Cave was grassy and tree-lined. We walked together, taking in the sights and sounds of the countryside. Pikachu was riding on Ash's hat, as usual, and Gold's Pidgey was riding on his shoulder. It made me a little disheartened that my Pokemon had all grown up and evolved…I didn't have any small, cute Pokemon to carry along with me. But on the plus side, mine were stronger, so I really couldn't complain.  
  
We got challenged to a Trainer battle or two as we traveled, and we often split the job. Sometimes I took on the trainer on my own, to test my skill; or sometimes Ash and Gold tag-teamed, or sometimes all three of us took them on at once. I never had so much fun in my life!  
  
Finally, Ash whined, "How much farther? My feet hurt."  
  
Gold switched on his Pokegear's Town Map. "Not far. We're almost there."  
  
I actually didn't mind the walking, because I was too busy enjoying where I was…in the world of Pokemon! But suddenly, I stopped in my tracks.  
  
"What's wrong?" they asked.  
  
"Shh! Listen!" I whispered. Ash and Gold cocked their ears, trying to hear what I heard. It was a Pokemon call of some kind… I just couldn't place it, although it sounded very familiar.  
  
"What is that?" mused Gold. "It sounds like a Pokemon in trouble."  
  
"Dexter, any ideas?" said Ash, flipping open his Pokedex. "What Pokemon is that?"  
  
The small machine beeped and crackled for a moment, then said, "That is the call of a Wobbuffett, a Patient Pokemon."  
  
"Oh, no… here we go with the Wobbuffetts again…" I grumbled.  
  
Dexter continued. "This is a Psychic-type Pokemon that can deal no damage of its own. It does, however, possess the two moves for returning damage. Counter returns physical attacks doubled, and Mirror Coat returns special attacks doubled."  
  
I grimaced. "Dude…"  
  
Ash looked at me. "What's your problem?"  
  
I avoided his gaze. "Nothing. It's just that I've been hearing a lot about Wobbuffetts recently."  
  
"Really? From where?"  
  
"Never mind. Let's just keep walking."  
  
We continued down the grassy road, Pikachu taking a snooze on Ash's shoulders and Gold's Pidgey flying in front of us. Soon, I had to agree with Ash; my feet were killing me as well!  
  
"I wonder if Meganium will give me a ride?" I mused.  
  
"Don't bother," said Gold, "There's the cave entrance dead ahead."  
  
The tall, rocky door into the cave didn't look friendly, but I had been through this cave before on Game Boy, so I knew it wasn't all that scary.  
  
"Oh, man… I forgot to buy Poke Balls in Olivine!" I moaned. "How am I going to catch any of the Pokemon here?"  
  
"Relax," said Gold, "I've got about 20 of them, and you can use as many as you need."  
  
"You da man!" I cried, slapping him on the back. Then we gathered our courage and entered Union Cave.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The warehouse was dark and dirty. A few bare bulbs illuminated the musty halls, crates and boxes stood stacked against the walls, and torn books and papers were strewn everywhere. However, the warehouse was far from empty. This was the Team Rocket Headquarters. Officers and Grunts marched through the halls, from one office or storeroom to another, and Executives sat among papers and documents, working feverishly. This was the place where all their evil schemes were concocted, and today was no exception. The entire Team was excited because their boss, Giovanni, was announcing the plans for "Project Celebi", the plot to find the corrupt Forest Guardian and capture it for their own evil purposes.  
  
As the bustling continued, a man and a woman strode quickly through the hallway. The man was James, a tall figure with purple hair, and the woman was Jessie, an arrogant officer with long, red hair. They worked as a team almost constantly, teamed up with the only known Pokemon who could speak English, Meowth. As they sped down the corridor, James fell behind a bit.  
  
"Jessie, I'm tired." He whined. "Why must we run like this?"  
  
"Because, nitwit," Jessie shot back, "Boss wants these documents on his desk immediately! They're the crucial part of 'Project Celebi!'"  
  
"What's the point of catching that stupid green thing, anyway?" grumbled James.  
  
"That 'stupid green thing' is going to make us more money than you could ever dream of in a lifetime!" snarled Jessie. "Now hurry it up! We must get these papers to Boss NOW!"  
  
"But Boss is usually patient…" said James, now breathing heavy.  
  
"Well, I'm not!" growled Jessie, "Now come on!" she grabbed James' hand and yanked him down the hallway to the meeting room.  
  
Giovanni was seated in the meeting room behind a large desk. He watched with a smile as all his subordinates poured into the room. They made him so proud, and commanding a massive team such as them gave him a feeling of true power. And he had made a promise to himself: no matter how many times he was defeated, he would never truly disband Team Rocket. They were virtually immortal!  
  
Finally, all the Rockets were seated in the meeting room.  
  
"Is everyone here?" asked Giovanni, switching on the microphone. Suddenly the door burst open and Jessie sped into the room, with James stumbling behind.  
  
"Here you go, Boss." Said Jessie with a smile. "Your documents, as you requested."  
  
"Good work, Jessie. Well done." Said Giovanni. Then James came gasping up to the desk.  
  
"Boss…my inhaler…" he wheezed.  
  
Giovanni passed the device to him. "Now be seated." He ordered. Finally, he was ready to begin.  
  
"Good afternoon." He began. "As you all know, last week I announced 'Project Celebi,' which is the plan to capture and exploit the Ilex Forest protector, which has materialized after 5,000 years and is planning an attack." He paused for dramatic effect, then continued. "Although it is rumored that Celebi possesses great Psychic power, I am confident that all of us together can corner it and capture it. However, we are not all just going to run after it at once. We are going to do this systematically and scientifically. We will all divide into three teams, each assigned to a different task. When I call you, please stand up…"  
  
He shuffled some papers around, then began again. "Jessie and James, if you will…"  
  
Jessie and James stood up proudly and crossed their arms over their chests.  
  
"Jessie and James are going to head the Intelligence Gathering team. Your mission is to travel around and talk to everyone. I want you to gather as much information on the conflict as you possibly can."  
  
"Yes, Boss." Sneered James.  
  
Giovanni continued, "Next… Maurice and Jimbo."  
  
A pair of burly, unruly looking officers stood up.  
  
"You two will be in charge of the Search Party team. Start in the forest, and spread out. Look under every rock, behind every tree, everywhere! I want you to search every place imaginable to see if you can find any trace of Celebi or his army."  
  
"As you wish." The men said simply.  
  
"Finally… Lt. Amanda Jackson."  
  
A tall, brown-haired girl seated next to Giovanni stood up. She was the beauty of the team, and many of the male officers had tried going after her.  
  
"Amanda, you will be the leader of the Naval Recruiting Operation. You are to take your team and sail to all the continents and cities to try and recruit new members to help us fight Celebi. Recruit everyone you can find, then bring them here so we can train them. Understood?"  
  
"It would be my pleasure." Said Amanda with a grin.  
  
"Once all 3 teams have gathered sufficient data, we will all come together at the foot of the mountains to prepare for the final battle. Is everything understood?"  
  
A general cheer rose among the Rockets in the meeting room.  
  
"Excellent! Good luck, troops! You are dismissed. Proceed directly to your assigned teams and begin immediately!" 


	11. The Mews speak

XI  
  
Union Cave was dark inside, and the air was humid. It stank as well. We walked in silence, our feet clomping on the rock floor and echoing off the walls. As we walked, I thought I spied one or two pairs of eyes watching us in the dark, but I couldn't be sure. The place gave me the chills. And by now my feet were really killing me. Between walking all the way from Olivine to get here, then having to walk all the way through here…it was too much. I reached down and took out Meganium's Poke Ball and threw it down, revealing my grass type.  
  
"Meganium…will you give me a lift, buddy?" I asked it. It looked at me for a moment, then bobbed it's head up and down, and walked over to me. I hopped on, relieved to get off my feet. Meganium walked with slow but large steps, and I had no problem keeping up with Ash and Gold.  
  
"Know what? That's not a bad idea." Said Ash, taking out a Poke Ball as well. "Snorlax! Give me a ride, please?" The Snorlax yawned, stared at his trainer with tired eyes, and nodded slowly. Ash jumped up on it's shoulders.  
  
Gold soon followed suit. "How about it, Kangaskhan? A ride for your pal?" Gold's Pokemon also gave him a lift. We continued into the dark, all three of us riding our Pokemon.  
  
Finally, I broke the silence. "So…do you guys really think we'll be able to stop Celebi?"  
  
"I don't know… I hope so." Said Ash.  
  
"We have to." Said Gold. "If we don't, the world is doomed!"  
  
"I know, I know…"  
  
The silence settled in again, and for the next few minutes, the only sound was our Pokemon's footsteps on the hard floor of the cave.  
  
Suddenly, however, I became aware that something was going on up ahead. It started as a very faint noise, and steadily grew louder. We heard shouting and screaming.  
  
"Dudes, you hear that?" I whispered.  
  
"Yeah… but what the hell is it?" Ash said back.  
  
"Only one way to find out, right?" said Gold with a grin. We slowly drew closer to the source of the commotion.  
  
We rounded a corner in the tunnel, and what we saw afterwards almost made us scream. Backed into a corner was a pair of Mews, the most rare and elusive Pokemon in the world. It was a male and a female—I could tell because one had a bluish glow and the other was slightly pink—and they looked very angry. And with good reason, because surrounding them was about fifteen members of Team Rocket, their Pokemon out and closing in on the Mew couple. Whenever a Pokemon got too close, they shot it against the wall with a Psychic blast, but the Rockets persisted, closing in.  
  
We watched in horror, and finally I whispered, "We gotta help them, guys."  
  
"Are you crazy? There are like 15 of them and three of us!" Ash shot back fiercely.  
  
This didn't bother me in the least. "Charizard and I will handle this, OK? You guys stay back."  
  
"Don't be stupid, kid…" Gold started to say, but by then I was already sneaking up behind the Rockets. Ash and Gold looked at each other and shook their heads, then turned to watch.  
  
I crept up behind one of the officers, and tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around, looking wildly about.  
  
"Who was that? Who's there?"  
  
Before he could say anything else, I decked him clean across the face, flooring him. The other Rockets spun around.  
  
"Hey! Who the hell are you? What the hell are you doing here?" They shouted. One of them charged at me, and I took Charizard's Poke Ball and flung it at his head, knocking him down. The impact also opened the Poke Ball, and Charizard appeared in a burst of light.  
  
"C'mon, boy, we got work to do!" I cried. Charizard nodded his head, and then turned, snarling on the Grunts. They approached him menacingly, only to be forced back at the force of a Flamethrower.  
  
"Charizard, advance! Take care of these assholes!"  
  
Charizard roared and lumbered into the group of men, breathing fire left and right. Soon, though, he found himself surrounded by several other enemy Pokemon the Rockets had released. He looked left and right, knowing he was outnumbered.  
  
Then, suddenly, there were more flashes of light, and soon a Lapras and an Espeon stood beside Charizard. Ash and Gold stepped from the darkness, saying, "Looks like you could use a bit of help."  
  
"You guys rock!" I cried, and then we all turned on the Rockets. "Show no mercy, boys." I growled.  
  
"Lapras, Hydro Pump!"  
  
"Espeon, Psychic attack!"  
  
"Let's have a Fire Blast, Charizard!"  
  
Our Pokemon obeyed, and the Rockets, bombarded by the special attacks, ran for their lives down an adjacent tunnel.  
  
We breathed heavily for a moment, then I exclaimed, "Yee-ha! We did it! We beat them back!"  
  
"Nice work, dude." Said Ash. "Not a bad bit of battling."  
  
"Thanks, Ash. You rule!"  
  
We then turned to where the Mews were floating, watching us in silence.  
  
Finally, I spoke. "Well, we saved you."  
  
The Mews were silent for a moment, then the male said in a deep voice, "That you did."  
  
"Well, we just wanted to show you that we stick up for all Pokemon, no matter what they are!" said Ash.  
  
"I see."  
  
"Well, I guess we'll be going, then." Said Gold, and we climbed back on our Pokemon and headed for the tunnel.  
  
"You may not leave." Said the Mews from behind us. We turned around slowly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We cannot allow you to leave." They repeated. "This is our secret hideaway. We are hiding here from people like Team Rocket and yourselves. You have found us, and thus you must be eliminated."  
  
I gulped. "E-e-eliminated?"  
  
"That is correct."  
  
I looked to my friends. "Guys, I think we'll need all our Pokemon for this."  
  
They silently agreed, and soon eighteen Pokemon stood before us. The Mews said nothing, yet one by one, each of our Pokemon was flung against the rocky wall and was knocked out. We could only watch as each one went flying. Shortly, a heap of fainted Pokemon lay in the corner.  
  
"As you can see, there is no escape." The Mews said softly.  
  
I was scared out of my wits. Not thinking, I muttered, "Man, only Mewtwo could beat these guys."  
  
The Mews froze, and their eyes widened. Finally one of them asked, "What…what did you say?"  
  
"I…I said that only Mewtwo would be able to beat you two."  
  
The Mews looked at each other, and then the female spoke.  
  
"How do you know of Mewtwo, boy?"  
  
I struggled to speak. "He…he's the most powerful Pokemon in the world. He was created on Cinnabar Island through genetic engineering."  
  
"No, that is not true." They said. "Mewtwo is an organic Pokemon like us. Please sit down and we shall tell you of his origin."  
  
Still nervous, we quickly sat down on the cold stone floor. The Mews floated in front of us and began to speak.  
  
"Firstly, you may address us as Mother and Father Mew, understood?"  
  
We nodded.  
  
They seemed to sigh, and began the story. "The scientists on Cinnabar will tell you that Mewtwo is a product of genetic engineering…however, this is false. Mewtwo is…our child."  
  
I raised my eyebrows. "Really?"  
  
"Yes. Father Mew and I were raised in captivity in the lab on Cinnabar, and many efforts were made to get us to produce offspring. Finally, we mated and gave birth to a son, Mewtwo."  
  
Father Mew continued the story. "When he was born, the scientists immediately shifted their attention from us to him. At first, Mewtwo was very docile, even playful at times. The scientists spent much time with him, teaching him about the world. Meanwhile, in his time with us, we helped him realize the full power of his Psychic abilities, which far exceeded ours."  
  
Mother Mew picked up again. "As our son grew, the scientists became less and less friendly with him, and soon started treating him like a mere animal far below themselves. Naturally, our son grew angry with them, and often dreamed of eliminating them and escaping to go off on his own."  
  
"Right," I commented, "That's how the lab got destroyed."  
  
"Yes, that is true," replied Father Mew, "However, that most unfortunate incident was our fault."  
  
"Your fault?" asked Ash, surprised.  
  
"Yes. Mewtwo, angry as he was, was still hesitant to act on his desires for freedom. Mother Mew and I, however, could not stand to see our son be so miserable. So we took him aside and encouraged him to break free. We told him that he should always trust his feelings, and that no Pokemon was a prisoner. Filled with our support, he turned on the Lab staff and broke free, leaving the lab in ruins."  
  
"His father and I were scared for our lives, as the scientists would find out about our deed and surely would destroy us. And so, we ourselves fled far away from that dreadful place, and sought refuge here. However, we have never seen our son since." A tear came to Mother Mew's eye, and she bowed her head. Father Mew placed his hand on her shoulder.  
  
Ash, Gold and I exchanged looks which silently asked, "Should we tell them?" Finally, Gold spoke up.  
  
"Well, you two aren't going to believe this, but…Mewtwo is back."  
  
They both looked up sharply. "What? Are you sure?"  
  
"Yep. I was spying on Team Rocket and heard that an army of about one million Mewtwos has been created."  
  
Their eyes widened, and finally, Father Mew stammered, "Who…who would do such a thing?"  
  
"Our baby," wailed Mother Mew sadly.  
  
"It's Celebi." Said Ash.  
  
"Who is that?"  
  
"Celebi is the guardian of Ilex Forest." I told them. "He has returned after 5,000 years and is angry at the world for taking Pokemon for granted. So he's amassing an army and is planning a massive attack."  
  
Mother Mew began to weep softly. "Our son…our son…why would he be exploited so?"  
  
Father Mew addressed us. "Boys, it may seem like a tall order, but you must stop Celebi at all costs."  
  
"Actually, we were kind of already planning to do that." I said.  
  
"Bless you." They said. "Where were you off to?"  
  
"Azalea Town," replied Gold, "To see Kurt."  
  
"Ah yes…Kurt knows much. Surely he can aid you. Go now, then. You have our support."  
  
"Um…" Ash muttered, glancing over at our Pokemon lying motionless on the floor.  
  
"Oh…forgive us." They said, and Father Mew drifted above them and cast a brilliant silver light upon them. One by one, our Pokemon got to their feet.  
  
"Now hurry!" They ordered, "If it is as you say, time is a luxury we do not have! Go!"  
  
"Will we see you again?" I asked quickly.  
  
"You may…we cannot be certain. Now go!"  
  
Ash, Gold and I quickly mounted our Pokemon and hurried down the tunnel towards the sunlight. 


	12. The feelings

XII  
  
Daisy City was a true metropolis. Sporting a huge Pokemon Center, a popular Grass-themed Gym, and several tourist attractions, it was among the most prosperous cities in Johto.  
  
On the outskirts of the city, two figures lay on their stomachs on a hill, peering through binoculars at Daisy City.  
  
"Jessie, do you really think we'll be able to find out anything here?" James said finally.  
  
"Of course, stupid," shot back Jessie. "This is one of the most popular cities in the country. We're sure to get valuable information here."  
  
"And maybe a bite to eat, as well…" put in Meowth from atop James' shoulders.  
  
"And you can just shut up!" snarled Jessie. "This is one mission where we don't need you fouling us up! Got it?"  
  
"Yes, Jessie." Meowth whispered.  
  
Finally, Jessie put down her binoculars and said, "Come on. Let's go rustle us up some intelligence." And she immediately began striding down the hill.  
  
"Wait for me!" cried James, running to catch up.  
  
As they walked towards the city, James looked over at Jessie and slowly started to get the feeling again. The feeling that had started bothering him since he was first teamed up with Jessie many years ago. The feeling that, to him, Jessie was more than just a partner. When they first started working together, they had been at each other's throats constantly. But as time wore on, James found that he was starting to develop feelings for Jessie. Sure, she treated him like an idiot sometimes, but he still couldn't help it. To him, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Not only that, when she wasn't in a grumpy mood, she was fun and pleasant to talk to, and she always came up with the very best plans to try and capture Ash's Pikachu, or some other evil deed. He really admired her for that.  
  
But, he told himself constantly, she's too proud to have feelings for someone like me. She would laugh if I told her my feelings, and I'd feel like a fool. So James was forced to keep his feelings deep inside, yet he still wished with all his heart to tell her and have her understand.  
  
James was so caught up in his thoughts that before he knew what happened, he walked right into a brick wall.  
  
"Hah!" laughed Jessie, "That will teach you to watch where you're going!"  
  
Rubbing his head, James saw that he had actually smacked into the side of a bar. "Is this where we're going?" he asked.  
  
"Yes. When people are drunk, they give out information without thinking. We're sure to pick up some useful tips here."  
  
They entered the bar and looked around. The lighting was dim, but they could still see the people that were occupying the tavern. Around the small, round tables sat people of many shapes and sizes, each appeared to be absorbed in their drink. The same was true for the bar counter, where Trainers and non-Trainers alike sat hunched over the countertop, clutching their mugs. The sound of chatter also filled the air, with the customers talking with each other, seemingly about nothing at all.  
  
Jessie looked at James, and whispered, "Come on." And they slowly walked over to the counter and sat down.  
  
"What can I get you?" asked the barkeep.  
  
"I'll just have a cola." Said Jessie.  
  
"Me too." Said James.  
  
"You got it." He said, and reached under the bar for two glasses, and soon he placed the drinks on the counter for them.  
  
"Thank you, sir." Said Jessie. Finally she decided it was time to start getting information.  
  
"You know," she said casually to the barkeep, "A close friend told me that some kind of evil Pokemon has plans to attack us."  
  
"Really?" said the barkeep, raising his eyebrows.  
  
"Yes." Said James, "But our friend is not very reliable, and we were just wondering if anybody else knew anything."  
  
The barkeep scratched his bald head slowly. "Don't know nothin' about it." He finally muttered.  
  
"I heard something like that," offered an older man who was clearly drunk, "My pal said his pal saw these guys in black whisperin' about, like, 'Celery Man', or somethin'."  
  
Jessie raised her eyebrows. "Is that so? Did he say where it was?"  
  
"Hmm? Nope, didn't say." Mumbled the man, taking another sip of his drink.  
  
"Maybe I can help," said a strange voice. Jessie and James looked over to the far end of the bar and saw a young teen in a black sweatsuit sitting there. A Wobbuffett sat beside him, gulping at some hot chocolate.  
  
"Who are you?" asked Jessie.  
  
"You can call me Don." the boy said. "I think I can help you find what you're looking for."  
  
"Then do so, by all means."  
  
"Well," said Don slowly, "I heard that nobody will be able to find Celebi or his army for at least two weeks. He's doing his work from the shadows until then."  
  
Don's Wobbuffett raised his mug, and the barkeep brought him another hot chocolate. Meanwhile, Don continued.  
  
"After that time, the whole Mewtwo army will appear at once, and they will all begin the invasion."  
  
"Where will they appear?" inquired James.  
  
"I'm not sure. I believe somewhere east of Star City."  
  
Suddenly, the Wobbuffett began crying out and tugging on Don's sweatshirt.  
  
"What is it, Wobbuffett?" he asked, and after listening for a bit, he said, "Yes, of course." He got up from the bar. "You'll have to excuse me, but I must be going. I hope you two succeed."  
  
Before he walked out the door, Jessie called, "Wait! You've been such a big help to us. Where are you from?"  
  
Don just smiled and said, "Someplace you've never heard of." And then he was gone, his Wobbuffett waddling after him.  
  
Jessie and James were silent for a moment, then Jessie cried happily, "Do you know what this means?"  
  
"That now we can get something to eat?"  
  
"No, stupid! That kid gave us all the information we need! Our mission is as good as done!"  
  
"Really? That's awesome!" cried James. "So tomorrow we can go back home?"  
  
"That's right!" said Jessie. "C'mon, it's getting late. We should be heading back to the motel."  
  
"Coming."  
  
As they walked out of the city, James commented, "I can't believe how well that went!"  
  
"And you didn't mess up, for once!" said Jessie, smiling. "I'm proud of you!"  
  
James immediately felt his feelings come back in a rush. He started to find talking difficult, so they continued the rest of the way to the motel in silence.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The Team Rocket destroyer Annihilator cruised across the ocean in the inky night. It was the fastest and most powerful battleship in the Rocket fleet, and Giovanni let only his elite officers command it. One of these elite officers stood in the control room, looking out the windows to the horizon. Amanda smiled to herself just looking around, knowing that safe inside this ship, nobody would challenge her or her team, and they would succeed in their mission without fail.  
  
"Lt. Jackson!" said a voice from behind her.  
  
She turned. "Yes, Admiral, what's up?"  
  
"We're less than five miles from Olivine!" The Admiral reported with a smile. "It won't be long before we can start recruiting new members!"  
  
"Well done, Admiral." She said, returning the smile. "Have you heard from the other teams at all?"  
  
"Yes, Lieutenant, we have. Jessie and James reported in about 30 minutes ago, saying that their mission was complete and they were going to be en route back to HQ tomorrow."  
  
"Excellent. And no word from Maurice and Jimbo?"  
  
"No." replied the Admiral. "As far as we know, they're still searching Johto."  
  
"Hmmm… well, carry on!" she said, and turned and walked into the captain's cabin. The captain had his feet up on the wheel, and was sound asleep.  
  
"Hey! Wake up!" she shouted.  
  
The man woke with a start. "Oh, oh, um…Lt. Jackson, I, I, um…"  
  
"Just forget it. How fast are we going?"  
  
The captain checked his readings. "We're going quite fast, Lieutenant. Well worthy of the abilities of this ship."  
  
"Is it safe to go any faster?" asked Amanda.  
  
"Hmm…well I suppose I can increase the speed a notch or two without worry."  
  
"Then do it." Ordered Amanda. "I want to reach Olivine as soon as possible."  
  
"You got it!" the captain said, saluting. Amanda smiled, then returned to the windows and stared out again. Somewhere, she knew, across this ocean, the action would happen. Somewhere… 


	13. The romance we've all been waiting for

XIII  
  
Shortly after our meeting with the Mews, we emerged from Union Cave on the backs of our Pokemon. It was dark, and it took my eyes a while to adjust. Luckily, the Venonats on the side of the road flickered occasionally, providing some light.  
  
"Boy, it feels so good to be out of that cave!" cried Gold.  
  
"I hear that!" agreed Ash, smiling.  
  
"So now that we're through the cave, how much farther to Azalea?" I asked.  
  
"Not far." Said Ash. "We're almost there."  
  
We continued on the dark path for about another ten minutes, and then we finally came to the junction gate leading into Azalea town. We dismounted our Pokemon, returned them to their Poke Balls, and walked through the gate into the city.  
  
Despite the darkness, the town was well lit, and we could easily find our way around. The Slowpoke Well stood alone in the east part of the town, and the residential houses, Gym, and Pokemon Center were in the center. Just as it looked in the game.  
  
"Boy, it's been so long since I've been here!" said Gold, "I've almost forgotten what it was like!"  
  
"So are we going to go see Kurt, or what?" I asked.  
  
"Don't you think we should go to the Pokemon Center first and revitalize our Pokemon?" said Ash with a glare.  
  
"Oh…yes, yes, of course."  
  
We entered the large Pokemon Center, with its picture windows and bright lighting. Nurse Joy kindly healed our Pokemon, commenting, "It looks like you three have been through a couple of tough scrapes!"  
  
Gold laughed. "You're probably right."  
  
Nurse Joy smiled and handed us our Poke Balls back. "We hope to see you again!"  
  
"Dude," I whispered to Ash as we left, "You're not supposed to say that in a hospital!" Ash didn't say anything.  
  
Finally, we walked to the west end of Azalea Town and knocked on the door of a small house.  
  
"You may enter." Said a creaky voice from within. We pushed open the equally creaky door and looked around. The place was a mess! Books and papers lay strewn everywhere, and tools and assorted Ball making equipment was heaped on desks and in the corners.  
  
"Yo, this place looks like my room!" I commented.  
  
In the center of the room was a short man in a black robe, who turned upon hearing us enter.  
  
"Ah, young Gold! Good to see you, boy! And you too, master Ash!" He then noticed me and rubbed his chin. "Got a new friend, do you?"  
  
"Yeah," said Ash, "His name's Paul. He's tagging along with us."  
  
"Ah, well, it's nice to meet you, too, Paul."  
  
"Thank you, Kurt." I said, smiling.  
  
"So," said Kurt, putting his hands together, "What be your business? Oh, I know… you want to pick up your Level Balls and Fast Balls! Here you go, son!" Kurt went to his desk and removed a box containing three red Poke Balls and four white ones.  
  
"Thanks, Kurt." Said Gold, taking the box, "But we have something more pressing we came to talk to you about."  
  
"Oh? Tell me, then."  
  
"Well, have you ever heard of a Pokemon called Celebi?"  
  
Kurt raised his eyebrows. "I have…" he said slowly, "He's the Ilex Forest guardian, no? But he's been dead well over 5,000 years."  
  
"Well, he's back."  
  
"What?" cried Kurt, looking up sharply.  
  
"We found out that Celebi has returned and is planning to destroy the world with an army of Mewtwos."  
  
"He's angry at humans for taking Pokemon for granted." I put in.  
  
Kurt turned and stared out the window. "I was praying this day would never come." He said quietly. "In my studies, I read of a prophecy describing Celebi's return. I did not know it would be so soon…or so violent."  
  
"Can you help us, Kurt?" asked Ash.  
  
Kurt turned back to us. "I'm afraid I know very little. Are you planning to fight it?"  
  
We looked at each other, and I finally said, "We're assuming it will eventually come to that."  
  
"Well, boys, I suggest you start building an army, then. You three alone cannot stop Celebi, I think."  
  
"Thank you," I said, "But we really need to know more."  
  
Kurt thought for a moment. "Hmm…well, I do have a close friend on Cianwood Island who knows about all kinds of stuff like this. You do know the Pokemaniac, correct?"  
  
We nodded.  
  
"Splendid! Rest up tonight, and tomorrow, it's off to Cianwood with you!"  
  
Before we could ask any more questions, Kurt hustled us upstairs and we soon fell fast asleep.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The small motel was not the most comfortable place to sleep, but hey, it got the job done. Inside, Jessie was getting ready to go to sleep, well satisfied with the day's work. She had changed into her nightgown and was sitting by the mirror, combing her hair, which she had let back and was flowing down past her shoulders. Just then, the door to the room opened and James walked in.  
  
"Jessie, have you…" he started to say, and then he froze. His feelings slammed back into him, and he could not help but stand there and stare at Jessie. "She's so beautiful!" he thought to himself. She noticed him staring and turned up her nose.  
  
"What on earth are you staring at?"  
  
"Nothing, nothing…" he said quickly, diverting his eyes.  
  
"Make sure." She snapped, and then got up from the mirror and sat down on the bed. Suddenly, she was aware that he was sitting next to her. "James, what has gotten into you?" she demanded.  
  
He couldn't hold it in anymore, and he began to blurt it all out. "Jessie, I have to tell you something…"  
  
"Hmmph…what?"  
  
"Jessie, I know you think of me as an idiot, but to me you're more than just a partner."  
  
Jessie's stern expression seemed to soften a bit. "What?"  
  
"As we worked together, I just started to get these…I don't know…feelings. Feelings that to me you were so beautiful, and fun to talk to, and smart…"  
  
All sternness was gone now as she stared at him. "James…are you serious?"  
  
"Yes, I am. I always wanted to tell you how I felt, but I always thought you'd laugh me off, that you were too proud to have feelings for someone like me. That's why it took me so long to tell you, Jessie."  
  
She took his hand. "James," she said softly, "You didn't have to be afraid to tell me. I wouldn't have laughed at all."  
  
There was a brief silence, then James said, "It's always so much fun being teamed up with you. We always have such a good time trying to get that kid's Pikachu, right?"  
  
Jessie smiled. "Yeah."  
  
"And you know what I like best of all about working with you?"  
  
"Tell me." She said.  
  
"When we do our motto. And how we make the smoke come up on either side of us, and then that big "R" comes out of the ground…"  
  
Jessie laughed softly. "Yeah, that is a lot of fun."  
  
"That's why I love being around you, Jessie. You always make fun stuff happen."  
  
There was another brief silence, then Jessie took his hand again and said, "James, I… I know I don't always treat you with the highest respect, but…" she stared into his eyes. "I think you're really fun to hang around with, too."  
  
James' eyes widened. "Really?"  
  
"Yes. I mean, even though I'm usually the one to come up with the plans, you always add the wisecracks and humor, which always make it fun."  
  
James chuckled to himself. "Yeah, I guess I can be quite the comedian…"  
  
"Hey, let's not be getting too full of ourselves," Jessie said, elbowing him playfully.  
  
After a pause, James said, "Remember our first battle against Ash? When we attacked the Viridian Pokemon Center?"  
  
"Yup." Said Jessie, smiling as she remembered the moment.  
  
"That kid didn't know what he was doing. We almost had him! And then…" James laughed quietly as he remembered the next part, "All those Pikachus zapped the crap out of us!"  
  
Jessie laughed as well. "Yes, that got to be a habit, didn't it?" They found themselves staring into each other's eyes again.  
  
"James," said Jessie, "I wish you had told me these feelings sooner, because…" she looked away, embarrassed.  
  
"Jessie, please tell me."  
  
"Well," she said, looking back at him, "It's just that… as you and I worked together, I…started to have feelings for you as well."  
  
James' heart did a triple lutz. "You…you did? You really did?"  
  
"Yes. At first, I was scared of the feelings, because I had never felt that way about anybody before. So I did my best to hide the feelings. That's why I used to treat you like garbage. But James," she stared deeper into his eyes, "I…I really do care for you."  
  
James was silent for an instant, then he broke into a broad grin. "Jessie, do you know how happy you just made me?"  
  
Jessie smiled sweetly. "And you don't think I'm just as happy as you are?"  
  
But then James got serious again. "But Jessie, I don't just care for you. It's more than that. I…I…"  
  
"Say it, James. You don't have to be afraid anymore." She said softly.  
  
"Jessie…I love you."  
  
"Oh, James…" she whispered, and she put his arm around him and they kissed for the first time. When they pulled back, James' eyes were wide.  
  
"Jessie…wow…I…"  
  
"Shhh." She said, smiling, and they kissed again.  
  
At that moment, the door opened and Meowth strolled in, singing softly to himself. He stopped dead in his tracks, and rubbed his eyes, however, when he beheld the sight before him. There was Jessie and James, his two trainers, with their arms around each other, kissing. He groaned softly. "I never thought I'd see the day…"  
  
Upon hearing his voice, Jessie and James quickly broke the kiss and stared at the cat. "What are YOU doing here?" growled Jessie.  
  
"Umm…umm…"  
  
Jessie picked up Meowth by his neck. "Listen, you," she snarled, "You saw nothing! Got it? Absolutely nothing! Because if you tell anybody, so help me God I will have Arbok eat you alive! Understand?"  
  
"Yes, Jessie." Whimpered Meowth. "Please put me down now."  
  
Jessie set him down and said, "Now get out of here!"  
  
Meowth bolted through the door in a flash.  
  
Jessie sat down next to James again. "Oh, that cat. Always trying to get in the way…" She turned back to James. "Now, where exactly did we leave off?"  
  
James smiled. "I think somewhere around here." He said, moving to kiss her again. Before he could do so, however, a shrill beeping filled the room.  
  
"Damn it, my Pokedex!" grumbled Jessie. "Hold on, I probably should get that."  
  
Jessie popped open the device to see Maurice staring back at her.  
  
"What is it, Maurice?"  
  
"We still haven't found any trace of Celebi or his army," the man said in his rough voice. "We're thinking we should start searching Kanto as well."  
  
"Don't bother," said Jessie. "We have all the information we need and we're heading back to HQ tomorrow. You should do the same."  
  
"Ah, great." Said Maurice. "Okay, then, I'm out." And the screen went blank.  
  
Jessie checked her watch, and said, "Oh my, it's after midnight. We really should be getting to sleep."  
  
"Okay, then." Said James, and he started to get under the covers of his bed.  
  
"Wait, though," said Jessie, "Listen…we can't let anyone know about this. Not yet, anyway. We have to keep it a secret for now, okay?"  
  
"Okay, Jessie. No problem."  
  
"All right then," she said, smiling. She gave him a quick kiss goodnight, then she got into her bed and clicked off the light.  
  
"Good night, Jessie." Said James from the darkness.  
  
"Good night, James. Sleep well."  
  
Soon they were both fast asleep, their lives filled with new meaning. 


	14. Off to the coast!

XIV  
  
The morning came sooner than I would have liked, because I really needed more sleep. But there was the sun, shining through the skylights on the second floor of Kurt's house, bright as ever. However, it wasn't the sun that woke me.  
  
"Boys! Boys!" called the rough voice from downstairs, "Up with you! No time to lose! Get up NOW!"  
  
I opened my eyes slowly and focused them, sitting up. Gold was already up, getting dressed, but Ash was still snoring away. I knelt down by him.  
  
"Ash…Ash! Wake up!"  
  
Ash sat up with a start, breathing heavy.  
  
"Are you okay, dude?" I asked.  
  
"I…I had the strangest dream…" breathed Ash slowly.  
  
"Really? What was it?"  
  
Ash rubbed his head slowly. "It was Jessie and James… they were in the Rocket HQ… at first it looked like any old day there, but there was something…different about them… I can't figure it out."  
  
"That is strange." I said. "Well, come on, Kurt wants us downstairs yesterday."  
  
Shortly, we were all seated at Kurt's kitchen table, forcing down the stale cereal that he made sure we finished. When the last oat cluster was gone from our bowls, he addressed us.  
  
"Well, then! I'd say it's about time you head off to Cianwood, wouldn't you?"  
  
"Are you sure you can't help us any more, Kurt?" asked Gold.  
  
"I cannot, I'm sorry… but the Pokemaniac surely will. Here," he said, handing us a golden scroll, "Give this to him so he knows I sent you. Now be off!"  
  
"What's the fastest way to get to Cianwood?" I inquired.  
  
"Simple! Simply Surf southwest from Olivine."  
  
I raised my eyebrows. "You…you mean we have to walk all the way back to Olivine?! That's messed up!"  
  
"Relax, boy," said Kurt with a gentle smile, "Here." He handed Ash a Poke Ball. "Take my Dodrio. It can Fly you pretty much anywhere."  
  
"So can it Fly us right to Cianwood, then?" he asked.  
  
Kurt chuckled. "Unfortunately no… I have not been to the Pokemon Center there as of yet. But it will surely take you back to Olivine, and from there it's about a two-mile walk to the coast."  
  
"Thanks, Kurt!" said Gold with a smile, and one by one, we exited the house back into Azalea Town.  
  
"Well, let's go." Said Ash, and he flung down the Poke Ball to reveal the Dodrio. It squawked angrily, glaring at us.  
  
"Dude, it may not listen to us…" I said.  
  
"Relax," said Ash, "I've got the Earth Badge, remember?"  
  
"Oh yeah…"  
  
"C'mon, boys, we're going for a ride!" exclaimed Ash, and all three of us hopped onto the Dodrio's back. "To Olivine, fast as lightning!"  
  
Five minutes later, the bird came to a safe landing back in Olivine City, and we dismounted.  
  
"Good job, Dodrio." Said Ash, returning it to its Poke Ball. Then he looked at us. "We better hustle along if we want to reach the coast at a decent time."  
  
"Right."  
  
We walked past the east end of town, and soon the sounds and smells of the port city faded and we were on a dirt trail surrounded by trees. We walked pretty much in silence, Ash's Pikachu skipping happily ahead of us.  
  
"Boy, up until now, I didn't realize just how much you guys travel."  
  
"Yeah, but it's necessary sometimes, you know?" said Gold casually. But then he turned and stared at me. "How would you know exactly how much we travel, anyway?"  
  
I smiled and said simply, "You wouldn't understand." Which shut him up. The silence settled in again as we walked. Suddenly I froze and listened.  
  
"Aw, hell," I moaned, "I hear the Wobbuffett again!"  
  
Ash and Gold listened as well, and nodded in agreement. "We hear it too. Very unusual, indeed."  
  
The cries soon faded, and we resumed walking, unaware of the two pairs of eyes that watched us from a distance.  
  
"So," said Jessie with a smile, "They're on some sort of mission, are they? Most interesting."  
  
"Look at that golden scroll!" cried James. "If we take it from them, we may be able to learn some valuable information about Celebi!"  
  
Jessie thought for a moment. "You know, that's not a bad idea."  
  
"And we can also sell it to make lots of money!" James added.  
  
"Now you're talking!" said Jessie with a grin. "I like your thinking!"  
  
James smiled back at her, and then she said, "Come on, we have to go catch up to them."  
  
"Right."  
  
We continued walking, hearing the occasional cry of a Mareep or Ekans, or the rustle of a Pidgeotto's wing…very peaceful.  
  
"So have you ever actually seen the Pokemaniac?" I asked.  
  
"I have." Answered Gold. "When I first met him, he gave me a Shuckle as a token of our meeting."  
  
"Oh really?" I said, puzzled. "I thought he gave you that Shuckle because he was scared that…"  
  
Suddenly, a voice cut into our conversation. "Stop right there, brats!" We froze.  
  
"Who the hell is that?" I asked, looking around.  
  
"Allow us to introduce ourselves…" began the voice, and the silhouette of a man and a woman appeared in front of us. "To protect the world from devastation… to unite all peoples within our nation…"  
  
I slapped my head. "God, not these two assholes…"  
  
"To denounce the evils of…"  
  
"Hey, listen!" I shouted, interrupting them, "We're tired of your corny-ass motto already! Get the net!"  
  
Jessie and James stepped from the shadows angrily.  
  
"Who the devil are you?" growled James.  
  
"You can call me Paul," I said, "But I call you two losers!"  
  
"Hey, Paul," said Ash, coming to my side along with Gold, "Maybe you shouldn't be getting yourself in so deep."  
  
"I know what I'm doing." I told him.  
  
"Well, well, well… if it isn't Ash!" jeered James.  
  
Without saying a word, Ash returned Pikachu to his Poke Ball.  
  
Jessie laughed. "Relax, brat! We're not after your stupid electric rodent this time! Rather, we're after that scroll you have! Hand it over!"  
  
"Never!" cried Gold. "If you want it, you have to fight us for it!"  
  
Jessie and James smiled at each other, then said, "Fine, little boys…but you'll be sorry!"  
  
"Yeah, whatever, let's just go!" I said.  
  
I released my Gengar, Ash released Espeon, and Gold released Pinsir. Jessie sent out her Arbok, and James sent out Weezing, as usual.  
  
"Let's make the first move!" declared Ash. "Espeon, Psybeam!"  
  
But before the Espeon could attack, Weezing flew down and body slammed Espeon into the ground.  
  
"How…how did he attack first?" stammered Ash.  
  
Jessie smirked. "We've been raising our Pokemon quite a bit. You are no match!"  
  
"Go get that Arbok, Gengar!" I ordered. However, right away the snake buried its tail in the ground and flung a barrage of Sludge Bombs at poor Gengar, knocking him out.  
  
"Dude…what are these guys at, Level 100?" I said wearily.  
  
One by one, Jessie and James knocked out all our Pokemon, and then they started closing in on us.  
  
"There is no escape." Snickered Jessie. "Hand over that scroll, or we'll…"  
  
"Hold it!" shouted an unfamiliar voice. We all looked around to see who it was. Then, a figure dropped from above, and when I saw who it was, I was amazed. It was a young teen with a black shirt and long red hair… it was Silver, Gold's former rival! 


End file.
